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As anticipation builds for the launch of Dan Trachtenberg’s latest “Predator” film, titled “Predator: Badlands,” fans are eager to revisit his previous works, such as the acclaimed 2022 film “Prey” and the 2025 animated feature “Predator: Killer of Killers.” A particular intrigue revolves around the actress portraying both Thia and her malevolent synthetic sister, Tessa, who is determined to eliminate Thia for good.
20th Century Studios
The talent behind these captivating roles is Elle Fanning, sister to Dakota Fanning. Elle has recently graced screens in projects like “All Her Fault” and the horror flick “Vicious.” Her career, which began in childhood, now sees her starring alongside Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi. Schuster-Koloamatangi brings to life Dek, an unexpected ally to Thia and a Predator outcast due to his family’s disdain for him being the runt.
Elle Fanning’s portfolio is diverse, spanning both films and television. Her versatility as an actress is evident, mirroring the success of her older sister. Whether it’s in Oscar-nominated dramas, unconventional historical narratives, or origin tales of Disney villains, Fanning’s presence is unmistakable. Here’s a look at Elle Fanning’s journey leading up to “Predator: Badlands.”
Much like her sister Dakota, Elle began her acting career early on. She debuted by portraying a younger version of Dakota’s character in the 2001 film “I Am Sam.” Soon after, she made appearances in notable TV series, including “Taken,” “CSI: Miami,” “House M.D.,” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” Fans of the latter might recall her standout performance in the intense Season 8 episode titled “Caged.” While her early focus was on television, Fanning transitioned to more significant roles by 2020, notably in Tony McNamara’s Hulu series “The Great.”
McNamara, known for his unique and entertaining depictions of historical figures as seen in Yorgos Lanthimos’ 2018 film “The Favourite,” crafted “The Great” with Fanning as Empress Catherine the Great of Russia. Catherine, famed for overthrowing her inept husband and ushering in a prosperous era in Russia, is depicted with wit and intelligence by Fanning. Nicholas Hoult delivers a memorable performance as Emperor Peter III, Catherine’s foolish spouse, while Phoebe Fox plays Marial Brezhnev, Catherine’s loyal handmaiden and ally in her quest for power.
Elle Fanning led one of Hulu’s best original shows for three years and three seasons
Hulu
“The Great” enjoyed a successful run from 2020 to 2023, and during this period, Fanning also starred in the true crime miniseries “The Girl From Plainville” in 2022. Despite her television successes, it is on the big screen where Fanning consistently captivates audiences with her performances.
McNamara, who’s also written similarly off-beat and wonderfully anachronistic portraits of real historical royals like Yorgos Lanthimos’ 2018 film “The Favourite,” pioneered this show that casts Fanning as Empress Catherine the Great of Russia. (As a reminder, Catherine the Great was a ruler who organized a coup against her idiot husband and ended up becoming one of Russia’s most beloved and famous rulers by ushering in a long age of propserity and artistic prowess.) That idiot husband, Emperor Peter III, is played brilliantly by Nicholas Hoult on the series, and Fanning is absolutely sublime as Catherine, an incredibly intelligent and shrewd politician who teams up with her handmaiden and closest friend Marial Brezhnev (Phoebe Fox) and other supporters to steal the throne from her own spouse.
“The Great” ran for three seasons from 2020 to 2023, and in 2022, she also found time to star in the true crime miniseries “The Girl From Plainville.” The big screen, though, is where Fanning shines most reliably.
On the big screen, Elle Fanning has appeared in critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated movies
Searchlight Pictures
After “I Am Sam” in 2001, Elle Fanning went on to appear in a ton of films at a young age, including “Daddy Daycare” in 2003, the English voice dub of “My Neighbor Totoro” in 2005, and “Babel” in 2006. A few years after that, Fanning made an appearance in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” working with director David Fincher and luminaries like Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, and in 2010, she starred alongside Stephen Dorff in Sofia Coppola’s emotional father-daughter film “Somewhere,” marking her first role in a more “adult” project that allowed her to show off her growth as an actress.
In 2014, Fanning took a prominent role in “Maleficent,” the Disney villain origin story where Angelina Jolie plays the titular Maleficent to Fanning’s Princess Aurora; the two reunited for the sequel “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil” in 2019. This is also the era where Fanning started taking ambitious and diverse roles in smaller independent projects like “20th Century Women,” “The Neon Demon,” and Sofia Coppola’s striking feminist Civil War film “The Beguiled,” but in 2024, she finally found her way into a smash hit thanks to “A Complete Unknown.”
James Mangold’s biopic of Bob Dylan early in his career cast Timothée Chalamet as the world-famous singer and Fanning as his lover Sylvie Russo, a character based on Dylan’s real-life girlfriend Suze Rotolo. Fanning didn’t earn an Oscar nod like Chalamet did, but she did wow audiences with her sensitive, emotionally resonant, and layered performance as a woman who realizes that fame and temptation will always keep her and her partner apart, proving that she’s handily made the transition from child actor to adult star.
As for “Predator: Badlands,” Fanning’s newest big project, it hits theaters on November 7.
